SIDS choppers make history while raising awareness

It's pretty impressive to watch close by as a helicopter takes off or lands, but imagine the wind, noise, vibrations and awe of 38 helicopters doing it all together in formation. Then add Uluru as a backdrop, and a red nose to every chopper.

It's pretty impressive to watch close by as a helicopter takes off or lands, but imagine the wind, noise, vibrations and awe of 38 helicopters doing it all together in formation. Then add Uluru as a backdrop, and a red nose to every chopper.

That was the amazing sight to be seen in Australia's Red Centre, as a group of helicopter enthusiasts attempted to make the Guinness Book of World Records for the most civilian helicopters to be in formation at the one time.

The choppers donned red noses to help raise awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Safari member, and PR/Marketing Manager for Helibiz, Justin Heitman says when people saw a fleet of helicopters all with big red dots on the front, they started to ask questions. "We answer them all with the SIDS awareness campaign," he says. "We've [also] taken heaps of imagery that we're going to give to SIDS so they can use it in their campaigns and video work."

The safari idea started when people at Helibiz noticed more and more people were buying helicopters for work, but not getting a chance to enjoy them. "Like the boating and car industries, we thought it would be a great idea to do a helicopter weekend," Justin explains. "It turned out to be a five-day adventure along the great ocean road down to the Barossa in Adelaide." Since then, there have been a few chopper safaris each year, but this was the first aimed at setting a world record while raising awareness for SIDS.

"Having SIDS on board we thought we could do a double whammy... it's the Red Centre Adventure with a lot of red noses!" Justin says. "Now if we can get [into] the Guinness Book of Records there's going to be a lot of imagery with the SIDS noses on it as well, plus it's a pretty cool thing to do."

Formation flying in helicopters doesn't happen very often because it's not safe to get too close, but Justin says the group kept to strict guidelines for safety. "When we were at Uluru we had 1.6 km of choppers lined up all with their blades turning, head to tail. We divided them into four groups, and everyone had to call their name out down the line," Justin explains. "It was amazing to hear the radio calls, let alone see the helicopters take off, it was: 'alpha one lifting', 'alpha two lifting'. I think 38 went around Uluru."

The group kept to straight lines as they flew around the vast red monolith, ensuring not to cross any sacred areas. "It took about 20 minutes but we slowed down and had a good look at the rock," Justin says.

The safari was made up of three groups departing from Melbourne, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays. Each team stopped in various locations until meeting up in the tiny township of Birdsville. "It wasn't so tiny once we got there!" Justin laughs. "We brought in about 110 people as we landed. The airport is right next door to the Birdsville Hotel and that was just amazing to see them all lined up in their airport.

"Not many people had actually been there, so to go to the Birdsville Hotel, which everyone's heard about, it was cool. Then to go there with so many helicopters, they were all pretty blown away, pardon the pun!"

The group then flew on to Uluru and stayed there for three days.

"We'll fly for about two and a half hours before we'll do another stop. One is to stretch your legs because you don't turn around and go to the toilet in the back of the helicopter, and the other is for fuel stops," Justin explains. "We fly for three hours on a tank of fuel but it's legal that you have to keep a reserve of fuel in the tank."

Refuelling creates a logistical nightmare when planning a safari, particularly when flying across such remote areas. "One of the most remote ones was Andado Station, pretty much in the middle of the desert," Justin says. The group was hand pumping petrol out of drums into the helicopters. "The three people living there baked a whole heap of cakes for us, put on tea and coffee, slices and fruit; it was just amazing what they'd done for us. I think they baked 16 cakes."

The official safari time for the Melbourne and Whitsundays crews was eight days; the Gold Coast crew spent an extra day returning home. "A large sports bag is about all you can take because you have to worry about weight and fuel. We had to pack for warm and cool weather," Justin says.

As for the world record, all the entry forms and documentation are in, so it's just a matter of waiting.

"It was an absolutely amazing adventure," Justin says. "Every helicopter donated [money] to SIDS to have a red nose on, so we've raised a few thousand dollars for SIDS in amongst raising awareness for them on the trip."

Now the safari group is looking forward to the next trip, which could be to the Whitsundays or Cape York. "[Helicopters] are a similar price to a Ferrari or a good BMW. Between $300,000 and $500,000 will get you into a four-seater helicopter," Justin explains. "You don't even need a runway! It's showing a lot of people along the way that helicopters aren't just for James Bond."